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Videos quickly emerged showing the\u00a0fatal shooting of a Minneapolis protester\u00a0by a Border Patrol agent that has been widely denounced as a case of excessive force carried out by untrained federal officers. The administration says it was a case of an armed man provoking violence.<\/p>\n
The Associated Press reviewed multiple bystander videos that show a Border Patrol agent shooting and killing 37-year-old\u00a0Alex Pretti\u00a0after a roughly 30-second scuffle around 9 a.m. Saturday. The videos appear to contradict statements by the Trump administration, which said the shots were fired \u201cdefensively\u201d against Pretti as he \u201capproached\u201d them with a gun.<\/p>\n
In the videos, Pretti is seen with only a phone in his hand. None of the footage appears to show him with a weapon. During the scuffle, agents discovered that he was carrying a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, and they opened fire with several shots. Pretti was licensed to carry a concealed weapon.<\/p>\n
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who said he watched one of the videos, said he saw \u201cmore than six masked agents pummeling one of our constituents, shooting him to death.\u201d Frey has said Minneapolis and St. Paul are being \u201cinvaded\u201d by the administration\u2019s\u00a0largest immigration crackdown, dubbed Operation Metro Surge.<\/p>\n
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretti attacked officers, and Customs and Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino said Pretti wanted to do \u201cmaximum damage and massacre law enforcement.\u201d In posts on X, President Donald Trump\u2019s deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, called Pretti \u201ca would-be assassin.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was the second fatal shooting in Minneapolis by federal immigration authorities this month. The first, on Jan. 7, involved\u00a0Renee Good. It also was captured on videos and produced a similar schism among political leaders.<\/p>\n
The shooting occurred when officers were pursuing a man in the country illegally wanted for domestic assault, Bovino said. Protesters routinely try to disrupt such operations, and they sounded high-pitched whistles, honked horns and yelled at officers.<\/p>\n
Among them was Pretti. At one point, in a video obtained by AP, Pretti is standing in the street and holding up his phone. He is face-to-face with an officer in a tactical vest, who places his hand on Pretti and pushes him toward the sidewalk.<\/p>\n
Pretti is talking to the officer, though it is not clear what he is saying.<\/p>\n
The video shows protesters wandering in and out of the street as officers persist in trying to keep them at bay. One protester is put in handcuffs. Some officers are carrying pepper spray canisters.<\/p>\n
Pretti comes in again when the video shows an officer wearing tactical gear shoving a protester. The protester, who is wearing a skirt over black tights and holding a water bottle, reaches out for Pretti.<\/p>\n
The same officer shoves Pretti in his chest, leading Pretti and the other protester to stumble backward.<\/p>\n
A different video then shows Pretti moving toward another protester, who falls over after being shoved by the same officer. Pretti moves between the protester and the officer, reaching his arms out toward the officer.<\/p>\n
The officer deploys pepper spray, and Pretti raises his hand and turns his face. The officer grabs Pretti\u2019s hand to bring it behind his back, deploys the pepper spray canister again and then pushes Pretti away.<\/p>\n
Seconds later, at least a half-dozen federal officers surround Pretti, who is wrestled to the ground and hit several times. Several agents try to bring Pretti\u2019s arms behind his back, and he struggles.<\/p>\n
Videos show an officer, who is hovering over the scuffle with his right hand on Pretti\u2019s back, backs away from the group with what appears to be a gun in his right hand just before the first shot.<\/p>\n
Someone shouts \u201cgun, gun.\u201d It is not clear if that\u2019s a reference to the weapon authorities say Pretti had.<\/p>\n
And then the first shot is heard.<\/p>\n
Videos do not clearly show who fired the first shot. In one video, seconds before the first shot, one officer reaches for his belt and appears to draw his gun. That same officer is seen with a gun to Pretti\u2019s back as three more shots ring out. Pretti slumps to the ground. Videos show the officers backing away, some with guns drawn. More shots are fired.<\/p>\n
The Department of Homeland Security said Pretti was shot after he \u201capproached\u201d Border Patrol officers with a gun. Officials did not say if Pretti brandished the weapon or kept it hidden.<\/p>\n
An agency statement said officers fired \u201cdefensive shots\u201d after Pretti \u201cviolently resisted\u201d officers tried to disarm him.<\/p>\n
Walz expressed dismay at the characterization.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen the videos, from several angles, and it\u2019s sickening,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Trump weighed in on social media by lashing out Walz and Frey. Trump shared images of the gun that immigration officials said was recovered from Pretti and said \u201cWhat is that all about? Where are the local Police? Why weren\u2019t they allowed to protect ICE Officers?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
#Trump #White #House #latest #Minnesota #shooting #victim #gun #video #footage #shows<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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